Bandages



United States Patent lnventor Geraldine A. Grossman 10296 S. Mina, Whittier, Calif. 90605 Appl. No. 732,305 Filed May 27, 1968 Patented Dec. 15, 1970 BANDAGES 10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl 128/157, 128/ 1 53 Int. Cl A6lf 15/00 Field of Search 128/155, 156,157, 132, 149,150, 153

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,161,720 6/1939 Morelli 128/153 2,539,115 1/1951 Brachman 128/153 2,875,758 3/1959 Fuzak et a1. [28/157 3,300,786 1/1967 Rosenvold et al. 128/132 2,407,735 9/1946 Beckerman 128/157 FOREIGN PATENTS 734,888 4/1943 Germany 128/157 Primary Examiner-Adele M. Eager Attorney-J. Carroll Baisch BANDAGES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to bandages and relates more particularly to bandages of the type that is easily and quickly attached to protect wounds, injuries and the like.

While the invention has particular utilityembodied in bandages for wounds and the like and is shown and described thus embodied, it is to be understood that its utility is not confined thereto.

2. Description of the Prior Art There are various types of bandages for easy and quick application to wounds and the like. Various types of these bandages have a strip of plastic material coated on one side with a pressure sensitive adhesive and a surgical pad centrally located on the adhesive coated side of the plastic strip. With these bandages, when applied to the body or a part of the body, the adhesive coated side of the plastic is pressed directly onto the body or part of the body havingthe wound or injury so that the adhesive adheres directly to the skin area about the wound or injury. Since many persons are allergic to the adhesive of these bandages the skin area to which the adhesive of the adhesive coated side of the bandage directly contacts becomes irritated and often becomes seriously inflamed.

Many times bandages of the prior art are stuck onto body areas having hair thereon and the adhesive coated side of such bandages is placed directly onto such areas. The hair then sticks to the bandage and when the bandage is pulled off the hair is pulled also and this is often extremely painful.

Another problem or difficulty of such prior art bandages is that it is difficult to get the bandages tight enough without getting them too tight for comfort and/or safety. If too tight the bandage may cut off circulation with the attendant wellknown danger.

As is well known there are certain parts of the body to which bandages are difficult to apply and retain in proper position. For example, it is difficult to apply bandages to the ends of fingers, and when bandages are applied thereto they often work off or are inadvertently displaced.

Further, when there is a wound or .injury on the end of a finger it is customary to wrap the bandage over the entire finger to try to keep the bandage from coming off. Such wrapping of the finger interferes with the articulation of the joints and hence interferes with such use of the finger as might otherwise be made even with an injured end of the finger.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above described problems and difficulties of the prior art by providing bandages that are easily and quickly attached with just the right tightness, and the tightness of which can be adjusted at any time desired.

These bandages comprise a strip of flexible material such as a suitable plastic, for example, and haveatongue part coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. When attached to the body or body part the tongue extends through a slot provided therefor and attached to the outer side of the strip of material so that the adhesive does not come into contact with the skin of the person on whom the bandage is applied, thus eliminating any possibility of the adhesive causing irritation or inflammation of the skin under the bandage. Also, when it is desired to remove such bandages such removal may be effected easily and quickly, and when such bandages are removed from a skin area having hair thereon there is no painful pulling of the body hair.

One embodiment of the invention may be securely attached to parts of the body where it is normally difficult to apply bandages, such as the ends of fingers. This embodiment, when attached, not only holds the bandage in place over the end of the finger but does not interfere with the articulation of the finger joints.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further sufficiently referred to in connection with the following detailed description of the accompanying drawings which represent certain embodiments. After considering these examples, skilled persons will understand that many variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed and l contemplate the employment of any structures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the underside of a bandage embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the other or outer side thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bandage as it would be when applied toa part of the body, as, for example a finger;

FIG. 4 is a view of the underside of another embodiment'of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of showing how the bandage would appear, or its shape, when applied to a part of the body such as a finger.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. l, 2 and 3 there is shown a bandage embodying the present invention and indicated generally at 10. The bandage comprises a strip of suitable, flexible, relatively thin sheet material. One such material is vinyl, for example, although any other suitable plastic material may be used. The strip 10 includes what is termed a body portion 12 from one end of which a tongue 14 extends longitudinally of the body. Tongue 14 is narrower than the body portion and the latter has a transversely extending slot 16 adjacent the free end, which is at least as long transversely as the tongue is wide. That part of the body portion between the slot 16 and the adjacent free end of said body portion is termed herein the body tab 18. On one side of the body portion, termed herein the face or inner side, a surgical pad 20 is secured between the slot 16 and the base 22 of the tongue 14 where it joins the body portion. The surgical pad 20 is secured to the body portion by any suitable means such as an adhesive. Any suitable adhesive may be'used, there being various well-known adhesives for this purpose on the market and used on prior art bandages to secure surgical pads to the strip of material.

On the outer or back side of the tongue 14 said tongue is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive 24. Any suitable pressure sensitive adhesive may be used. There are various well-known adhesives for this purpose on the market, such as adhesives used on prior art bandages for attaching the bandages to the skin of the persons on whom the bandages are used.

Over the adhesive material on the back side of the tongue there is a slick surfaced piece of sheet material 26 termed the adhesive protective piece or cover, which may be of suitable well-known nonelastic plastic. The sheet 26 has a tab 28 at the inner end where the tongue joins the body portion, said juncture being indicated at 22 as described above. The tab 28 is shown as extending beyond the adhesive coated area of the tongue so it will be easy to raise and pull toward the free end of the tongue to expose the adhesive material thereon, although adhesive material may be beneath the tab 28. For ventilation purposes that part of the body portion covered by the surgical pad is perforated, as at 32.

In order to attach the bandage to the body or a portion thereof, a finger for example, the protective cover 26 is removed from the back side of the tongue. The inner side of the body portion is applied to the finger over a wound or injury and the tongue threaded or slipped through the slot 16. The adhesive coated side of the tongue is now facing the outer side of thebody portion and said tongue is long enough to extend a substantial distance beyond the free end of the body tab 18. The bandage is pulled to the desired tightness by means of the tongue and the adhesive coated side of the latter is then pressed onto the back or outer side of the body portion. The adhesive coated side of the tongue is now adhesively attached to the outer or back side of the body portion exposed beyond the body tab 18. The tongue is also adhesively attached to that part of the body tab 18, thatis, that part of the body portion between the slot 16 and the adjacent free end of said body portion. Since the tongue is narrower than the body portion to which it is adhesively attached, the adhesive of the turned back part of the tongue cannot come into contact with the skin of the user so there is no danger or irritation or inflammation of the skin due to the adhesive. It is also to be noted that since the tongue is bent over along the outer edge 16a of the slot 1.6 and is adhesively attached to the body tab 18 there is an added securing factor to prevent the bandage from becoming loose.

' Further, that part of the adhesive coated area of the tongue that does not extend through the slot, if there is such a part remaining after the tightnessof the bandage is adjusted, faces outwardly and cannot contact the skin of the used. This part of I the adhesively coated area will also adhere to the inner side of g the tab 18, and since this part of the adhesive coated side of the tongue also faces outwardly, the adhesive thereof cannot come into contact with the skin of the person using the bandage.

Thus the bandage is secured in place and will not inadvertently loosen. Should it be desired to readjust the bandage, the free end of the tongue is raised and pulled free of the body portion, in-,

Z; eluding the body tab 18. Also,-that part of the adhesive coated area of the tongue attached to the inner side of said body tab 18, if there be such part, is easily separated from said inner side of the body tab 18. The bandage then may be readjusted and the tongue secured in place again.

If it is desired to remove the bandage this may be effected v when the tongue has been adhesively separated from the body portion bypullingsaid tongue back through the slot 16.

- Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, there is shown a bandage for the end ofa finger, thumb or the like.

This'arrangement comprises a thin sheet of material such as vinyl or other suitable plastic which when lying flat, has the shape shown in FIG. 4. There is a body 40 with the front and rear edges42 and 44 parallel," the front being narrower than the back with the sideedges 46 inclined or converging forwardly and inwardly.

A connecting strip orneck'48extends longitudinally rearwardly and centrally of the body 40. At the rear end of the connecting strip 48 there is a part, indicated generally at 50, similar to the bandage shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 without the surgical pad thereof, the part 50 being integral with the strip Part 50 has a body portion 52 extending'toward one side of V the neck'48 and normal thereto with atransverse slot 54 adjacent'the free end of said-body portion. Extending in the opposite direction from the body 52 is what is termed herein a lateral tongue 56 which is narrower than the body 52. The I, back side of said tongue is provided with adhesive and the back side of the tongue 14 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 and there is a similar or comparable adhesive .protective cover 26 on the area of the tongue having the adhesive, the protective cover I for the adhesive having a tab 28. f A strip 60, termed herein a forward tongue, extends longituinally forwardly from the forward end of the body, a front end portion of the forward tongue 60 being coated with an adhesive on'the side of the bandage shown in' FIG. 4 which is termed herein the inner side of the bandage. An adhesive protective cover 62 covering theadhesive coated area of said forward tongue,saidadhesiveproteetive cover 62 being similar to the'adhesive protective cover 26, including the tab 28.

In this embodiment or arrangement a base portion 64 of the forwardtongueis uncoated. On this inner side of the body 40 of the bandage there is a surgical pad 68 which is secured by a suitable adhesive asrwith the surgical pad of the arrangement of FIGS. 1, 2and 3. Surgical pad 68 has a forwardly proecting part 70 which extends onto the base portion of the forward tongue. Thebandage' a s shown-in. FIG. 4 is larger than would be finger the surgical pad 68 is placed on the finger'send and the body wrapped about the fingers with the projecting part 70 of the surgical pad turned back on the end of'the finger. The side edges 46 of the body abut or the edge portions of said body may overlap. The adhesive protective cover is then removed and. turned back onto the meeting or overlapping edge portionsof the body so as to cover said edge .portions and adhere thereto.

Neck 48 extends along the under side of the finger and spaces the part rearwardly to a position whereat it may be attached tothat part-:of the finger between the forward joint 2 and the second joint or between the second joint and the knuckleof such finger, depending on which part of thefinger it is desired to attach said part 50.

1 In either case the body 52 is wrapped part way about the finger. The adhesive protective cover of the lateral tongue 56 is. removed and the tongue 56 threaded through the slot 54 and drawn outwardly to provide the desired pressure. The adthere isno interference with the articulation of the joints of the finger. v

Here again no adhesive touches the skin of the user of the bandageand no irritation or inflammation can be produced.

Bandages of the present type may be made in any suitable or desired size. Large bandages may be used for parts of the body as large as the legs, arms and torso.,Should it be desired to bandage the torso,as when ribs have been broken, or the back needs support, a suitable large bandage embodying. the present invention may be used. The construction would be the same-as the'embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 with or without a surgical pad. No adhesive touches the skin and hence the skin cannot be irritated or inflamed. Further, when removing such.

a bandage there can; be no pulling of body hair that may be beneath the. bandage. It will be understood that the bandages may be of various sizes and shapes depending on the application to be made.

In the arrangement of FIGS. 4 and 5 the tapering of the body 40 accommodates to the tapering end'of fingers. The body 40 may, of course, be rectangular or other desired shape and may be of any desired size Further, the surgical pad may be of other shape and may be arranged so that the edges thereof .will abut with abutment of the body edges 46 or the overlapping of side edge portions.

' While the neck 48 of FIGS. 4 and 5 is long enough so that the part 50 will be disposed on a second finger portion from the end portion, it is to be understood that said neck may be shorter so as to span'but one finger joint and position the part 50 for attachment-to thefinger portion next to the end finger portion.

In order to keepthe bandages sterile theymay be individually'placed insterile, sealed envelopes or the like-These envelopes may beiof any suitable material such as plastic, for example.

The invention and its attendant advantages will be. un-

.derstood from the foregoing description and it will be .ap-

parent that-various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or sacrific- .ing its material advantages, the arrangements hereinbefore described being merely by way'of example, and I do. notwish ging:

.a. a body portion having a transverse tongue receiving slot b. a tongue extending longitudinally from the opposite end of said body portion, said tongue being narrow enough to be slidable in said slot, said tongue being operably receivable in the slot;

0. an area of the outer side of the tongue having a coating of adhesive; and l d. an adhesive protective cover removably disposed on the area of the tongue having the adhesive coating.

2. The invention defined by claim 1, wherein the material of the strip of the bandage is plastic; and the adhesive on the tongue is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

3. The invention defined by claim 1, including a surgical pad secured to the body portion between the transverse slot and the junction of the tongue and said body portion, said surgical pad being on the inner side of the body opposite the side of the tongue having the adhesive thereon.

4. The invention defined by claim 3, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive, and the adhesive protective cover has a tab at one end free from the adhesive for easy and quick removal of said adhesive protective cover.

5. The invention defined by claim 1, including a neck having opposite ends with one end connected to the body portion adjacent the junction of the body portion and the tongue, said neck extending laterally from the body portion; an enlarged body having one end connected to the other end of said neck; a forward tongue extending from the other-end of said body; and means for securing the forward tongue to side edge portions of the body when said edges have been brought adjacent to each other.

6. The invention defined by claim 5, including a surgical pad on the inner side of the body, said body with its surgical pad being adapted to be wrapped about an end of a body part having an injury with the side edges at least substantially abutting each other.

' 7. The invention defined by claim 5, wherein the means for securing the forward tongue to the side edge portions of the body when said edges have been brought adjacent to each other comprises a pressure sensitive adhesivecoating on an area of the inner side of said tongue.

8. The invention defined by claim 7, including a removable adhesive protective cover on the adhesive coated area of the forward tongue.

9. A bandage for the end of a digit, comprising:

A. a body of flexible material;

B. a neck extending longitudinally from the rear end of said body and integral therewith;

C. a transverse fastening means having:

a. a body portion extending laterally of the neck and integrally joining said neck adjacent one end of said body portion, there being a slot adjacent the opposite free end of the body portion and extending transversely thereof;

tion which joins the neck, said tongue being integral with said body portion and extending longitudinally thereof, said tongue being narrow enough to be slidable in said slot;

c. pressure sensitive adhesive on an area of the outer side of the tongue; and

d. a removable adhesive protective cover on the area of the tongue having the adhesive;

D. a forward tongue integral with the first mentioned body and extending from the forward end of said body, said tongue having:

a. a coating of pressure sensitive adhesive on an area of the inner side thereof; and b. a removable adhesive protective cover on the area of the tongue having the adhesive coating;

E. a surgical pad secured to the inner side of the body.

10. The invention defined by claim 9, wherein the body and integral parts of the bandage are of flexible plastic; and the body tapers toward its forward end.

and a tongue extending from the end of the body por- 

